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Brighton & Hove Albion

Full name	Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club
Nickname(s)	The Seagulls, Albion
Founded	24 June 1901; 117 years ago (1901-06-24)
Ground	Falmer Stadium
Capacity	30,750[1]
Owner	Tony Bloom
Chairman	Tony Bloom
Manager	Chris Hughton
League	Premier League
2017–18	Premier League, 15th of 20
Website	Club website
Home colours Away colours Third colours
Current season

Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club /ˈbraɪtən ... ˈhoʊv/ is a professional football club from Brighton based in Falmer, East Sussex, England. They compete in the Premier League, the top tier of the English football league system. Brighton's home ground is the 30,666-capacity Falmer Stadium.

Founded in 1901, and nicknamed the "Seagulls" or "Albion", Brighton played their early professional football in the Southern League, before being elected to the Football League in 1920. The club enjoyed greatest prominence between 1979 and 1983 when they played in the First Division and reached the 1983 FA Cup Final, losing to Manchester United after a replay.^[2] They were relegated from the First Division in the same season.

By the late 1990s, Brighton had slipped to the fourth tier of English football and were in financial trouble. After narrowly avoiding relegation from the Football League to the Conference in 1997, a boardroom takeover saved the club from liquidation. Successive promotions in 2001 and 2002 brought Brighton back to the second tier, and in 2011, the club moved into the Falmer Stadium after 14 years without a permanent home ground. In the 2016–17 season, Brighton finished second in the EFL Championship and were thus promoted to the Premier League, ending a 34-year absence from the top flight.

History

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Former Brighton chairman Dick Knight who ultimately saved the club

Brighton & Hove Albion F.C. were founded in 1901 and 19 years later, in 1920, they were elected to the Football League's new Third Division – having previously been members of the Southern League. In the Southern League they won their only national honour to date, the FA Charity Shield, which at that time was contested by the champions of the Southern League, and the Football League, by defeating Football League Champions Aston Villa in 1910.^[3]

Mike Bamber was the chairman of Brighton from October 1972 until 1983. He famously brought Brian Clough to the club in 1973 and later appointed former England player Alan Mullery as manager. Brighton's life as a Football League club had brought little in the way of success and headlines until 1979, when, under Mullery's management, they were promoted to the First Division as Second Division runners-up. The 1982/83 season saw a wildly inconsistent start for the club, with victories over Arsenal and Manchester United mixed in with heavy defeats. Manager Mike Bailey eventually lost his job at the start of December 1982. Jimmy Melia took over as manager, but was unable to turn the situation around and Brighton, after four seasons in the top flight, were relegated in 1983, finishing in bottom place.

Despite their relegation, that season Brighton reached their first (and only to date) FA Cup final and drew 2–2 with Manchester United in the first match. Brighton's goals were scored by Gordon Smith and Gary Stevens. This was the final that featured the "miss" by Gordon Smith with virtually the last kick of the game in extra time, prompting the BBC commentator Peter Jones to utter the well known phrase "...and Smith must score". However, Smith's kick was actually saved by the Manchester United goalkeeper, Gary Bailey. In the replay, Manchester United won 4–0.

After four seasons, relegation to Division Three came in 1987, but the Albion bounced back the next season. In 1991 they lost the play-off final at Wembley to Notts County 3–1, only to be relegated the next season to the newly named Division Two. In 1996 further relegation came to Division Three. The club's financial situation was becoming increasingly precarious, and the club's directors decided that the Goldstone Ground would have to be sold to pay off some of the club's huge debts. Manager Jimmy Case was sacked after a very poor start to the 1996–97 season saw Brighton stuck at the bottom of the league by a considerable margin. The club's directors appointed a relative unknown in Steve Gritt, the former joint manager of Charlton Athletic. Brighton's league form steadily improved under Gritt, although their improving chances of survival were put under further threat by a two-point deduction imposed as punishment for a pitch invasion by fans who were protesting against the sale of the Goldstone ground. A lifelong fan named Dick Knight took control of the club in 1997 having led the fan pressure to oust the previous board following their sale of the club's Goldstone Ground to property developers.

By the last day of the season, after being 13 points adrift at one stage, they were off the bottom of the table and had to play the team directly below them, Hereford United – the game was in their hands. If Brighton won or drew, they would be safe. Brighton defender Kerry Mayo scored an own goal in the first half and it looked as though their 77-year league career was over. But a late goal from Robbie Reinelt ensured that Brighton retained their league status on goals scored (despite Hereford having a better goal difference as, in the Football League at the time, goals scored took precedence), and Hereford's 25-year league run was instead over.

The sale of the Goldstone Ground went through in 1997, leading to Brighton having to play some 70 miles away at Gillingham's Priestfield stadium for two seasons. Micky Adams was appointed Brighton's manager in 1999. For the start of the 1999–2000 season the Seagulls secured a lease to play home games at Withdean Stadium, a converted athletics track in Brighton owned by the local council. 2000–01 was Brighton's first successful season for 13 years. They were crowned champions of Division Three and promoted to Division Two. Adams left in October 2001 to work as Dave Bassett's assistant at Leicester, being replaced by former Leicester manager Peter Taylor. The transition proved to be a plus point for Brighton, who maintained their good form and ended the season as Division Two champions – winning a second successive promotion. Just five years after almost succumbing to the double threat of losing their Football League status and going out of business completely, Brighton were one division away from the Premier League.

During May 2009, Knight was replaced as chairman at Brighton by Tony Bloom, who had successfully secured £93 million funding for the new Falmer Stadium and secured 75% shareholding at the club.^[4]

Brighton's final season at Withdean was 2010–11, in which they won League One. The following season, Brighton changed their crest to a design similar to the crest used from the 1970s to the 1990s. This was to reflect on the club returning home after not having a stadium since 1997.

The Falmer Stadium hosted its first league match on the opening day of the 2011–12 season against Doncaster Rovers, who were the last opposition to play at the Goldstone in 1997. The game finished 2–1 to Albion. The 2012–13 season saw Brighton finish 4th and lose in the play-off semi-finals to Crystal Palace. Poyet was suspended as manager following controversial comments made in his post-match interview, and was later sacked as manager and replaced by Oscar Garcia.^{[citation needed]}

On the final day of the 2013–14 season, Brighton beat Nottingham Forest 2–1 with a last minute winner from Leonardo Ulloa to secure a 6th-place finish. After losing to Derby County in the play-offs semi-finals, García resigned. Ex-Liverpool defender Sami Hyypiä was appointed manager for the 2014–15 season but resigned after four months and was replaced by Chris Hughton. In the following campaign Brighton went on a 22-game unbeaten run from the opening day to 19 December when they lost 3–0 at home to Middlesbrough. On the final day of the season Brighton travelled to Middlesbrough and needed to win to secure promotion to the Premier League, but a 1–1 draw meant 3rd and a play-off place, where defeat to Sheffield Wednesday was Brighton's third playoff semi-final defeat in four seasons.

Brighton started 2016–17 with an 18-match unbeaten run, taking them to the top of the league for much of December and January. They remained in the automatic promotion positions for most of the rest of the season, and clinched promotion to the Premier League after a 2–1 win against Wigan Athletic at home on 17 April 2017.^[5] They broke their transfer record multiple times throughout the summer window, with the current club record signing of Jose Izquierdo commanding a fee reported to be over £13 million.^[6]

Brighton's first season back in the Premier League was largely successful, with the club rising into the top half several times in the season and never really being threatened with relegation, despite going on a run of 1 win in 12 games and falling to within a point of the drop zone. However they were able to recover, beating the likes of Arsenal and Manchester United to finish the season in 15th, seven points above the relegation zone.

Stadium

Goldstone Ground

Goldstone Ground (1902–1997)

For 95 years Brighton and Hove Albion were based at the Goldstone Ground in Hove, until the board of directors decided to sell the stadium. The sale, implemented by majority shareholder Bill Archer and his chief executive David Bellotti, proved controversial, and the move provoked widespread protests against the board. The club received little if any money from this sale.^[7]

In their last season at the Goldstone, 1996–97, the Seagulls were in danger of relegation from the Football League. They won their final game at the Goldstone against Doncaster Rovers,^[8] setting up a winner-takes-all relegation game at Hereford United, who were level on points with the Seagulls. Brighton drew 1–1, and Hereford were relegated to the Football Conference on goals scored.^[9]

Withdean Stadium

For two years, from 1997 to 1999, the club shared Priestfield Stadium, the ground of Gillingham, before returning to Brighton to play at Withdean Stadium. This is not predominantly a football ground, having been used for athletics throughout most of its history, and previously as a zoo.^[10]

Because of the cost of the public enquiry into planning permission for a new stadium, rent on Withdean Stadium, fees paid to use Gillingham's Priestfield Stadium, and a general running deficit due to the low ticket sales inherent with a small ground, the club had an accumulated deficit of £9.5 million in 2004. The board of directors paid £7 million of this; the other £2.5 million had to be raised from the operations of the club. In an effort to achieve this, a fund-raising appeal known as the Alive and Kicking Fund was started, with everything from nude Christmas Cards featuring the players to a CD single being released to raise cash. On 9 January 2005 this fund-raising single 'Tom Hark' went straight in at number 17 in the UK chart, gaining it national airplay on BBC Radio 1.^[11]

Falmer Stadium

Brighton fans at Falmer Stadium during the first league game at the stadium against Doncaster Rovers

On 28 October 2005 the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister announced that the application for Falmer had been successful, much to the joy and relief of all the fans. Lewes District Council contested John Prescott's decision to approve planning permission for Falmer, forcing a judicial review. This was based on a minor error in Prescott's original approval which neglected to state that some car parking for the stadium is in the Lewes district as opposed to the Brighton & Hove unitary authority. This caused further delay. Once the judicial review ruled in favour of the stadium, Lewes District Council said that it would not launch any further appeals.

Building of Falmer Stadium started in December 2008. On 31 May 2011 the club officially completed the handover and was given the keys to the stadium with an initial capacity of 22,374 seats, signifying the end of 12 years without a home. During January 2012, the club submitted an application to Brighton and Hove City council to increase the stadium capacity by a further 8,000 seats as well as to add additional corporate boxes, new television facilities and a luxury suite.^[12] This was granted unanimously by Brighton & Hove City Council's planning committee on 25 April 2012. The stadium was then expanded to 27,250 for the start of the 2012–13 season and then further to 27,750 during December 2012 before reaching 30,750 during May 2013.

Supporters

Fans of the club consider Crystal Palace the club's main rivals, although the grounds are 40 miles apart.^[13][14]

Players

Current squad

As of 28 January 2019^[15]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player 1 GK Mathew Ryan 2 DF Bruno (club captain)[16] 3 DF Gaëtan Bong 4 DF Shane Duffy 5 DF Lewis Dunk (vice-captain)[17] 6 MF Dale Stephens 7 MF Beram Kayal 8 MF Yves Bissouma 9 FW Jürgen Locadia 10 FW Florin Andone 11 MF Anthony Knockaert 13 MF Pascal Groß

No. Position Player 14 DF Leon Balogun 16 MF Alireza Jahanbakhsh 17 FW Glenn Murray 19 MF José Izquierdo 20 MF Solly March 22 DF Martín Montoya 23 GK Jason Steele 24 MF Davy Pröpper 27 GK David Button 30 DF Bernardo 33 DF Dan Burn

Out on loan

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player 21 DF Ezequiel Schelotto (at Chievo until 30 June 2019)[18] 25 FW Tomer Hemed (at Queens Park Rangers until 30 June 2019)[19] 26 FW Percy Tau (at Saint-Gilloise until 30 June 2019)[20] 29 DF Markus Suttner (at Fortuna Düsseldorf until 30 June 2019) 31 GK Christian Walton (at Wigan Athletic until 30 June 2019)[21]

No. Position Player 35 DF Ben Barclay (at Notts County until 30 June 2019)[22] 36 FW Richie Towell (at Rotherham United until 30 June 2019)[23] MF Alexis Mac Allister (at Argentinos Juniors until 30 June 2019)[24] MF Tudor Băluță (at Viitorul Constanța until 30 June 2019)

Reserves and Academy

Managers

See Soccerbase for complete managerial history

Current management team

Personnel

Club officials

Source: Who's Who

Honours

Brighton & Hove Albion's historic league position

^[25]

League

• 
  Football League Second Division/EFL Championship (Tier 2) runners up: 1978–79, 2016–17
  


• 
  Football League Third Division South/Football League Second Division/Football League One (Tier 3) champions: 1957–58, 2001–02, 2010–11
  


• 
  Football League Fourth Division/Football League Third Division (Tier 4) champions: 1964–65, 2000–01
  


• 
  Southern Football League champions: 1909–10
  

Cup

• 
  FA Cup runners-up: 1983
  


• 
  FA Charity Shield winners: 1910
  


• 
  Sussex Senior Challenge Cup Winners (14): 1942-43, 1987-88, 1991-92, 1993-94, 1994-95, 1999-00, 2003-04, 2006-07, 2007-08, 2009-10, 2010-11, 2012-13, 2016-17, 2017-18


• 
  The Sussex Royal Ulster Rifles Charity Cup winners: 1959–60, 1960–61^[a][26]
  

Colours and crest

For most of Brighton's history they have played in blue & white shirts, usually striped, with different combinations of white and blue shorts and socks,^[27] though this changed to all white briefly in the 1970s and again to plain blue during the club's most successful spell in the 1980s.^[28]

Since 2014 the club's kit has been manufactured by Nike. Previous manufacturers include Bukta (1971–74. 1975–80), Admiral (1974–75, 1994–97), Umbro (1975–77), Adidas (1980–87), Spall (1987–89), Sports Express (1989–91), Ribero (1991–94), Superleague (1997–99), and Erreà (1999–2014). Their current shirt sponsors are American Express. Previous sponsors have included British Caledonian Airways (1980–83), Phoenix Brewery (1983–86), NOBO (1986–91), TSB Bank (1991–93), Sandtex (1993–98), Donatello (1998–99), Skint Records (1999–2008), IT First (2008–11), and BrightonandHoveJobs.com (2011–13).

See also

• Football in Sussex


• Sport in Sussex

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Brighton & Hove Albion F.C..

• Official website


• Official picture website